Ecole St Joseph, Varen, Tarn et Garonne

If you live in or near Varen, you will have seen the old white school building on the main road with its blue shutters, and may have even heard the school children playing in the wisteria covered courtyard. But few of you know how hard the community did and still is fighting to keep this school open.

Ecole St. Joseph  is an école privée. What does that mean you might ask? Well 20% of French children go to these types of schools rather than the public schools, a higher percentage than in the UK or America. Essentially 90% of private schools in France are catholic schools. They have to follow the national curriculum (hence the state pays the teachers salaries) but can select their own teachers. Private schools are accessible to pupils from all sectors of society and charge usually a symbolic or low fee to help towards the running costs of the school.  (http://about-france.com/primary-secondary-schools.htm) At present it has just under 60 children from 2 years old to 11 years old and three teachers. 

How can you help?

• There is the French version of ‘gift aid’, the form can be got from the school or emailed to you through the address below.
• Support for the local fundraisers where all the money goes directly to the school
• Promoting the school and highlighting it’s existence to new families of the area and far beyond

The next event for the school is a typically French “Repas Poule Farcie”

It is on the 28^th April 2012 at 8 pm at the Varen Salles de Fetes

Menu:

Bouillon de la poule

Poule, farce, legumes et riz

Tarte aux pommes

Tarif 16 euros/ adult

All are welcome

Please telephone the school 0563 65 41 60 for tickets.

We look forward to seeing or hearing from you. Thank you.

(For the gift aid: emails to be addressed (English or French!) to la directrice, Mme Délphine Simon, st.joseph.varen@wanadoo.fr )
This article was sent and written by Carinne Trinder